Name a standard for timekeeping in distributed telemetry systems.

• A. NTP (Network Time Protocol)
• B. PTP (IEEE 1588)
• C. GPS time
• D. Local timekeeping by a wristwatch

Answer: (C)

GPS time is a globally available time reference that serves as a stable, external clock for all devices in a distributed telemetry system. Because it comes from satellites, it isn’t tied to any single network path or local device, so it provides consistent timestamps across sensors and locations. This uniform time base makes it much easier to align events, correlate data, and compare measurements from different parts of the system, even when networks have delays or outages.

In contrast, network-based methods like NTP and PTP depend on the health and configuration of the underlying network. NTP can struggle with variable latency over wide or congested networks, and PTP, while very precise on well-managed local networks with specialized hardware, still relies on network infrastructure to keep clocks in sync. A wristwatch, while convenient, has unpredictable drift and no global synchronization, so it cannot provide the consistent, system-wide time reference needed for distributed telemetry.

A note: GPS time is a precise reference, but it doesn’t include leap seconds, so to present civil time you apply the known offset to UTC.